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Abstract
The first chapter of Fair Isn’t Always Equal provides, as Tess so eloquently put it, “a definition of Differentiated Instruction and a defense of the use in a classroom.” The author, Rick Wormeli, achieves this by first providing an explanation of Differentiated Instruction (DI), and secondly, by addressing the concerns that have been raised about the DI model head on. Wormeli persuasively argues that, rather than making students’ work easier, Differentiated Instruction serves to make student achievement more attainable, while still being appropriately challenging. A teacher who adopts the differentiated instruction model may not seem like they are being equal in terms of assignments and assessments, but they are, in fact, doing what is fair to equally ensure student success. Moreover, it is the students who have been taught in a differentiated classroom who are better equipped for life in the real world. Differentiated Instruction does not teach them to be dependent, as some may claim; rather, it teaches them how to identify their needs, and to self-advocate.
Synthesis
Overall, the most common theme throughout the group reflections was whether differentiated instruction was a crutch that encouraged student dependence, or whether it was a tool to enable student success. Most of the class agreed that differentiated instruction offers teachers a means to, as Molly put it, “level [sic] the playing field so that everyone is learning the same amount, just differently.” Those with some apprehensions about the DI model mostly had reservations based on the concern that DI could be used incorrectly. Whether this be due to “obvious tactics” that would be noticed by the student in question, as noted by Alison, or whether our method of intervention would prevent the student from developing “their own tactics,” as suggested by Kaitlyn. Sean’s comment really gets to the core of differentiated instruction is all about – “No one learns the exact same way so therefore there can be no uniform way to properly teach everyone.”
Garrett Hodgkins
“When we differentiate, we give students the tools to handle whatever comes their way”
In this chapter it gave an intro to what differentiated instruction is, and what a differentiated classroom may look like. Afterwards it talks about some of the problems around differentiated instruction, firstly, that a lot of science moves towards differentiated instruction as a strong form of teaching, except that the area of neuroscience is an area that has moved fast, and may be subject to quick change, and second is how exactly do we get the research done into the classroom? The chapter goes on to discuss how to strategically apply differentiated instruction in order to get the best classroom atmosphere as possible. It goes on to stress the importance that what may seem fair, isn’t always equal. All practices of differentiation must be available to all the classroom, but their need to be alternatives for those who may not excel in that area of intelligence.
This chapter gave me further insight on what some good practices may be in my future classroom just as UbD and MI did. What particularly caught my eye was when it was talking about the difference between fair and equal, and the importance of giving everyone in the class equal-opportunity of developmental skills. No one area of intelligence should seem prevalent in a class, as all of the students are likely to learn differently and the students who aren’t strong in that area are likely to suffer developmentally, because nothing is nurturing the other areas of their intelligence. It is easier for students to grasp the “Big ideas” of a unit when it is presented in a way that they are best fit for learning.
Frank Makuch
This chapter tells us how important differentiated instruction really is. When we step back, we realize that differentiated instruction may be a new vocabulary word, but the idea has been around forever. Without differentiated instruction students would not be challenged enough to grow as a learner. Students need instruction that makes sense for them, and this is essentially what differentiated instruction really is. Student and instructor both have an obligation for learning. The chapter brings up some of the flaws of standardized tests, saying that it is not a complete indicator of actual ability. A critique of differentiated instruction is that it leaves student unprepared for these test because it allows the student too much freedom to study what they want. This is not true because differentiated instruction is meant to stimulate a student’s interest so that they really want to learn. A student that wants to learn is much more likely to take his schooling seriously. The chapter also tells us how differentiation is applicable to the real world. In the military, recruits have to learn how to put together their gun in the field. Some of them read the manual, others just figure it out for themselves, and others need someone to move their fingers for them the first couple times. In this example from real life we see the range of different intelligences and how they differentiate instruction in order for recruits to learn. This chapter makes you think about how universal differentiated instruction actually is. It shouldn’t be something that you really have to think about, but rather something that comes naturally. I hope that it will in my classroom.
Kiera Timme
In Chapter 1, of Fair Isn’t Always Equal, the author Rick Wormeli states his case for Differentiated Instruction (DI) in the classroom. He argues that our growing knowledge of the brain’s inner workings and how it learns, signal the need for teachers and schools to move away from a “one-size fits all” curriculum, and instead, adopt the practice of differentiated instruction. In order to support his argument, Wormeli addresses some of the concerns that make some people hesitant to adopt the DI method. For example, one concern was whether differentiated instruction, provided throughout a student’s educational career, would lead to them becoming dependent on differentiation in all aspects of their lives, and therefore be unable to adapt. Wormeli argues this in two ways. First, he points out that we live in a differentiated world. He second arguments is that differentiation is not designed to make learning easier; instead, its purpose is to push students to achieve because their needs are being met. I really enjoyed how the author addressed concerns with differentiated instruction. I myself wondered, perhaps through my naivety on the subject, whether DI could become a crutch. However, I recognize now that this is not the case. One comment in particular, really convinced me of the power of differentiated instruction. The author argues that it is the students who have been educated in a differentiated environment who develop a better understanding of themselves. As a result, these students develop into self-aware individuals who are able to advocate for themselves. They come to recognize that their differences are not deficits, but just another aspect of their, and their classrooms', diversity.
Sean Falasca
Providing a student with differentiation even if they need it every single assignment will not make them mentally weak. In fact, it will make them more competent because they fully understood all the material being taught. They are fully aware of what type of learners they are. Just because differentiation is applied does not mean that we as teacher make the work easier. All we need to do is provide another way of learning. Differentiation is a tool of success not to be viewed as a crutch to learning. The real world provides differentiation quite often. If differentiation were never provided to a single student then it’s highly unlikely anyone would graduate. No one cares what we teach, what we teach is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is if our students are taught how to properly learn.
I am glad that differentiation is such a big part of education. It gives everyone a fair opportunity to exploit his or her learning abilities. If differentiation never existed then we would, perhaps write off some of our most brilliant students. No one learns the exact same way so therefore there can be no uniform way to properly teach everyone. As a future teacher I will make sure no to exclude anyone from learning. Everyone is a capable learner and even an eager learner, even if they don’t show it. Even if you look at differentiation as a crutch, there are many successful people in the world because of their crutch.
Tori Penney
Chapter 1 of FIAE is loaded full of reasons why differentiated instruction is the best choice for both students and teachers. It tells that right from the beginning, teachers should use DI within their classrooms, possibly even setting up the classroom to reflect the groups or levels of learning. Personally, I feel like this is a bad idea because these students will stick out, and while other students may not notice or care, those students most likely will. And the goal is to help students learn, and they cannot do so in an uncomfortable environment. Yet, I do agree that from day one DI should be used. It also argues against the idea that DI may get students believing that they will always have differentiated options in their lives. Wormeli says that the world is differentiated, and that the students, once they become adults, will begin to choose the options and search out the way that works best for them. This is important to me because as a teacher, especially a history teacher, I will have all kinds of students at all different levels, since a lot of history classes are not separated by ability like English and math classes are. My classroom will have to have DI within it in order for all of my students to be successful. I will need to give them opportunities for more help, alternative assignments, etc. And while standardized tests, such as the SAT, are not differentiated in any way, differentiated instruction helps then learn what is on these tests in their own way, but they are still learning the subject matter that they will be tested on. This is extremely important for me since my dream is to teach in an AP classroom environment, where students will be taking a standardized test in order to gain college credit, unlike most social studies classes where there is no standardized test to study for.
Tess Perry
This chapter provided a definition of differentiated Instruction and a defense of the use in a classroom. Differentiated Instruction focuses on creating a learning environment in which all students are appropriately challenged and no one has an excuse or rationale to be disengaged or to mentally ‘check-out’. The students may be learning in different ways, methods and processes but learning! By creating an environment where all students are fittingly challenged a differentiated classroom is not an ‘easy A’ class, it is more engaging. The suggestion that students who have been taught using differentiation are not prepared for an undifferentiated class, for standardized test or even the real world was countered by further explanation of differentiated instruction’s success. In those types of situations no one caters to student learning styles or individual needs. By understanding that differentiated instruction maximizes learning, resulting in higher student mastery of skills and knowledge, then these types of students are actually better prepared for the real world or for any standardized test, because they have gotten the most out of school, they have gained more skills than students in undifferentiated classes. They also have more knowledge regarding how they, as individuals, learn best.
When I first learned of differentiated instruction I agreed with the theory, I liked the individualized approach to teaching and keeping students engaged. I had not considered the points against this theory that were mentioned in this chapter. The idea that a student taught in a differentiated class has learned more because they are kept involved and engaged by being appropriately challenged so they had no excuse for not participating in class work. This chapter reinforced my positive opinion towards differentiated instruction by extinguishing any arguments against it.
Jon Delorme
Chapter 1 – The Differentiated Instruction Mind-Set
Over winter break I read Fair Isn’t Always Equal by Rick Wormeli while traveling from Maine to beautiful Ecuador. So, it will be nice to re-read the book and pick up on things I previously missed and be able to express my thoughts through this blog. Chapter One acts as an introduction to the concept of Differential Instruction, which Rick Wormeli describes as “doing what’s fair for students (3).” It is what teachers do to help their students succeed to the best of their ability. To explain Differential Instruction Wormeli uses the analogy of a child with glasses. All the students do not have glasses, so they are not equal, yet it would not be fair to take away the glasses that a student needs to see with. The glasses are a metaphor for scaffolding and assistance, something that there is a bunch of in a classroom that is differentiated. Apparently there are critics to this mode of thinking, but I take it as doing everything possible to ensure that your students flourish.
Thinking back, there was plenty of differential instruction in my high school. I plan on modeling what I learned as well as developing upon these new ideas. Some of these concepts are common sense to me and that probably stems to how I was taught. Of course I’ll provide my students with graphic organizers if they need one. I know I will rephrase questions for students if they do not understand. Those are little things. I think Wormeli is trying to change the culture of teaching across the country. To us young bloods it seems like common sense but to others it may seem like being soft on students. Either way, the first chapter makes a lot of sense to me.
Kaitlyn Bowie
The focus of this chapter was to make a clear distinction between differentiated design and allowing students to take the easy route in learning and develop a crutch. Differentiated design is meant to assist students in such a way that it helps them to develop the skills they are lacking, such as a planner to help with organization or access to student assistants who can assist them when the teacher is unavailable. The ideal tactics are ones that can be easily made available to any students who wish to utilize them, even if they were not the originally intended targets of the teacher. Ineffectual tactics are ones that purposely make the lessons easier, and show no attempt to strengthen the weak skill of the student. These tactics only placate the student, and later become apparent when the student is not given the same leeway by another teacher and ultimately falls behind in class. I was very divided in this chapter. On one hand, I readily agree that students should be helped, not carried. I had teachers that were willing to work with me in staying organized and helped me develop excellent skills in note taking. However, there in lies the purpose: developing skills. If I see a pattern in the struggles of students, I know I need to do something to help them. Whatever I do needs to not substitute that skill, but help my students to develop their own tactics. On the other hand, I was very disturbed by the idea that taking away what helps a student will make them stronger. Tools like organizers, glasses, and artificial limbs are not things you just decide to take away one day because some might view it as an advantage. These tools are meant to assist and help put the student on and equal level.
Caroline Murphy
I found the debate over whether differentiated instruction could actually be doing students a disservice by making things too easy for them an interesting one. In the face of mounting pressure for traditional academic success and exceptance to top colleges, a lot of emphasis is placed on independence and personal achievement. While these are undoubtably positive elements of education, they can sometimes make learning an isolating experience for students and unintentially do away with some of the collabortive and creative elements of education. Differentiated instruction brings these factors back and shows how teacher involvement and diverse instruction can bring about those desired results while allowing students to become well-rounded learners capable of adapting to varied learning situations. Paying close attention the ways that differentiated instruction affects students both in and outside of the classroom is a skill that I will bring into the classroom with me. Everything teachers do has the ability to have long-term effects on a student, and this is something that it is extremely important to remember. I also learned a lot about how differentiated instruction really is necessary for a successful classroom. Up until now, I think we were sort of given the impression that it was only used from time to time, or pulled out of the teacher tool box during difficult situations. But so much of what teachers do on a daily basis is differentiated by nature, without having to attach a label to it. Effective teaching requires instructors to constantly evolve and adapt their methods, often right in the moment and without time for extensive preparation. These intrinsic skills are a big portion of what differentiated instruction is all about, and that makes the whole thing seem a lot less intimidating.
Amy Jones
In Chapter one of Fair isn’t Always equal by Rick Wormelli it explains how Differential Instruction is used in the classroom to assist those who need the extra help and those who need more challenges. The problem with DI is the fact that many students might think that the differences between instruction isn’t fair, but as teachers we need to understand that “what is fair isn’t always equal, and our goal as teachers is to be fair and developmentally appropriate, not one-size-fits-all equal.”(pg 6) We as teachers need to realize that “what we teach is irrelevant. It’s what our students learn after their time with us that matters.” (pg 8) By creating a sense of trust between you and the student, and having them know that you are trying to make their learning process easier for them you will be able to “breathe a little easier because the experiences students’ [have with] learning is a direct result of [your] decisions, and those students are learning at a level otherwise not achievable through non-differentiated practices.”(pg 8) This chapter was very insightful in the many ways that teachers can be differentiated in their instruction but also provide all students will the necessary content. Just by walking around, talking with students through their problems, and even giving extra material when needed are all examples of DI. Personally knowing how easy it will be to DI will make me want to analyze my students and provide them with instruction that is best for them as learners.
Alison Hutchins
The first chapter of Fair is Not Always Equally spends a lot of time discussing the logistics of differentiated instruction. It talks about how differentiated instruction can start with something as simple as how you set up the room, and how you can seat students in a way that makes help from fellow students more readily available, and other forms of help more readily accessible. It also talks a lot about the difference between differentiated instruction and allowing gateways for students to be assigned work that is too easy, or that which doesn't present as much as a challenge as the rest of class, therefore leaving these students dissatisfied and uninterested. I think the difference between these two things are really important today. In a world where standardized testing is forcing teachers to force information quickly onto their students, just giving easier work to those struggling seems much easier than taking the time to help them gain the tactics to actually understand and apply the information. I also would worry that using tactics that were too obvious would make the student in question uncomfortable in my classroom. Regardless of whether the rest of the class understood that things were the way the were because that student needed extra help, the student would most likely be hyper aware enough to believe that their struggles were obvious to the rest of the class. This would definitely inhibit their learning, and their trust in the teacher.
Molly Olsen
While our aim is never to make someone uncomfortable, if teachers from the 60's, 70's or 80's could time travel, we'd hope they'd feel pretty lost when it comes to how we teach today. The book suggests this because the idea of differentiated curriculum has so evolved within the past 20 or so years, that these past teachers would have little idea why or how the end results of todays lessons were achieved. They would probably think it took a significant amount of more work than they were used to putting in for their curriculums, but as it is stated on page 3, "Sometimes, [when using differentiated instruction], we don't spend energy identifying tasks for high-medium-, and/or low-functioning groups so much as we consider whether we've taught in a way the brain best processes."
Some people claim that supplying one student with a differentiated curriculum of their own would cause them to become dependent on that one way of learning forever, and if they had a teacher in the future who did not teach that way, that they would fall flat. Others believe that it would make them competant, independent thinkers with a better understanding that all of his or her peers are very different as well, and that they should respect this. The latter is the truth. It has been shown that even when students have been quizzed in a more traditional way, after having learned the material of the quiz in a differentiated setting, they will still do well because they learned in a way which helped them absorb the most. Some say this kind of teaching is allowing a "crutch", but in actuality, it levels the playing field so that everyone is learning the same amount, just differently.
Table of Contents
Abstract
The first chapter of Fair Isn’t Always Equal provides, as Tess so eloquently put it, “a definition of Differentiated Instruction and a defense of the use in a classroom.” The author, Rick Wormeli, achieves this by first providing an explanation of Differentiated Instruction (DI), and secondly, by addressing the concerns that have been raised about the DI model head on. Wormeli persuasively argues that, rather than making students’ work easier, Differentiated Instruction serves to make student achievement more attainable, while still being appropriately challenging. A teacher who adopts the differentiated instruction model may not seem like they are being equal in terms of assignments and assessments, but they are, in fact, doing what is fair to equally ensure student success. Moreover, it is the students who have been taught in a differentiated classroom who are better equipped for life in the real world. Differentiated Instruction does not teach them to be dependent, as some may claim; rather, it teaches them how to identify their needs, and to self-advocate.
Synthesis
Overall, the most common theme throughout the group reflections was whether differentiated instruction was a crutch that encouraged student dependence, or whether it was a tool to enable student success. Most of the class agreed that differentiated instruction offers teachers a means to, as Molly put it, “level [sic] the playing field so that everyone is learning the same amount, just differently.” Those with some apprehensions about the DI model mostly had reservations based on the concern that DI could be used incorrectly. Whether this be due to “obvious tactics” that would be noticed by the student in question, as noted by Alison, or whether our method of intervention would prevent the student from developing “their own tactics,” as suggested by Kaitlyn. Sean’s comment really gets to the core of differentiated instruction is all about – “No one learns the exact same way so therefore there can be no uniform way to properly teach everyone.”
Garrett Hodgkins
“When we differentiate, we give students the tools to handle whatever comes their way”In this chapter it gave an intro to what differentiated instruction is, and what a differentiated classroom may look like. Afterwards it talks about some of the problems around differentiated instruction, firstly, that a lot of science moves towards differentiated instruction as a strong form of teaching, except that the area of neuroscience is an area that has moved fast, and may be subject to quick change, and second is how exactly do we get the research done into the classroom? The chapter goes on to discuss how to strategically apply differentiated instruction in order to get the best classroom atmosphere as possible. It goes on to stress the importance that what may seem fair, isn’t always equal. All practices of differentiation must be available to all the classroom, but their need to be alternatives for those who may not excel in that area of intelligence.
This chapter gave me further insight on what some good practices may be in my future classroom just as UbD and MI did. What particularly caught my eye was when it was talking about the difference between fair and equal, and the importance of giving everyone in the class equal-opportunity of developmental skills. No one area of intelligence should seem prevalent in a class, as all of the students are likely to learn differently and the students who aren’t strong in that area are likely to suffer developmentally, because nothing is nurturing the other areas of their intelligence. It is easier for students to grasp the “Big ideas” of a unit when it is presented in a way that they are best fit for learning.
Frank Makuch
This chapter tells us how important differentiated instruction really is. When we step back, we realize that differentiated instruction may be a new vocabulary word, but the idea has been around forever. Without differentiated instruction students would not be challenged enough to grow as a learner. Students need instruction that makes sense for them, and this is essentially what differentiated instruction really is. Student and instructor both have an obligation for learning. The chapter brings up some of the flaws of standardized tests, saying that it is not a complete indicator of actual ability. A critique of differentiated instruction is that it leaves student unprepared for these test because it allows the student too much freedom to study what they want. This is not true because differentiated instruction is meant to stimulate a student’s interest so that they really want to learn. A student that wants to learn is much more likely to take his schooling seriously. The chapter also tells us how differentiation is applicable to the real world. In the military, recruits have to learn how to put together their gun in the field. Some of them read the manual, others just figure it out for themselves, and others need someone to move their fingers for them the first couple times. In this example from real life we see the range of different intelligences and how they differentiate instruction in order for recruits to learn. This chapter makes you think about how universal differentiated instruction actually is. It shouldn’t be something that you really have to think about, but rather something that comes naturally. I hope that it will in my classroom.Kiera Timme
In Chapter 1, of Fair Isn’t Always Equal, the author Rick Wormeli states his case for Differentiated Instruction (DI) in the classroom. He argues that our growing knowledge of the brain’s inner workings and how it learns, signal the need for teachers and schools to move away from a “one-size fits all” curriculum, and instead, adopt the practice of differentiated instruction. In order to support his argument, Wormeli addresses some of the concerns that make some people hesitant to adopt the DI method. For example, one concern was whether differentiated instruction, provided throughout a student’s educational career, would lead to them becoming dependent on differentiation in all aspects of their lives, and therefore be unable to adapt. Wormeli argues this in two ways. First, he points out that we live in a differentiated world. He second arguments is that differentiation is not designed to make learning easier; instead, its purpose is to push students to achieve because their needs are being met.I really enjoyed how the author addressed concerns with differentiated instruction. I myself wondered, perhaps through my naivety on the subject, whether DI could become a crutch. However, I recognize now that this is not the case. One comment in particular, really convinced me of the power of differentiated instruction. The author argues that it is the students who have been educated in a differentiated environment who develop a better understanding of themselves. As a result, these students develop into self-aware individuals who are able to advocate for themselves. They come to recognize that their differences are not deficits, but just another aspect of their, and their classrooms', diversity.
Sean Falasca
Providing a student with differentiation even if they need it every single assignment will not make them mentally weak. In fact, it will make them more competent because they fully understood all the material being taught. They are fully aware of what type of learners they are. Just because differentiation is applied does not mean that we as teacher make the work easier. All we need to do is provide another way of learning. Differentiation is a tool of success not to be viewed as a crutch to learning. The real world provides differentiation quite often. If differentiation were never provided to a single student then it’s highly unlikely anyone would graduate. No one cares what we teach, what we teach is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is if our students are taught how to properly learn.I am glad that differentiation is such a big part of education. It gives everyone a fair opportunity to exploit his or her learning abilities. If differentiation never existed then we would, perhaps write off some of our most brilliant students. No one learns the exact same way so therefore there can be no uniform way to properly teach everyone. As a future teacher I will make sure no to exclude anyone from learning. Everyone is a capable learner and even an eager learner, even if they don’t show it. Even if you look at differentiation as a crutch, there are many successful people in the world because of their crutch.
Tori Penney
Chapter 1 of FIAE is loaded full of reasons why differentiated instruction is the best choice for both students and teachers. It tells that right from the beginning, teachers should use DI within their classrooms, possibly even setting up the classroom to reflect the groups or levels of learning. Personally, I feel like this is a bad idea because these students will stick out, and while other students may not notice or care, those students most likely will. And the goal is to help students learn, and they cannot do so in an uncomfortable environment. Yet, I do agree that from day one DI should be used. It also argues against the idea that DI may get students believing that they will always have differentiated options in their lives. Wormeli says that the world is differentiated, and that the students, once they become adults, will begin to choose the options and search out the way that works best for them. This is important to me because as a teacher, especially a history teacher, I will have all kinds of students at all different levels, since a lot of history classes are not separated by ability like English and math classes are. My classroom will have to have DI within it in order for all of my students to be successful. I will need to give them opportunities for more help, alternative assignments, etc. And while standardized tests, such as the SAT, are not differentiated in any way, differentiated instruction helps then learn what is on these tests in their own way, but they are still learning the subject matter that they will be tested on. This is extremely important for me since my dream is to teach in an AP classroom environment, where students will be taking a standardized test in order to gain college credit, unlike most social studies classes where there is no standardized test to study for.Tess Perry
This chapter provided a definition of differentiated Instruction and a defense of the use in a classroom. Differentiated Instruction focuses on creating a learning environment in which all students are appropriately challenged and no one has an excuse or rationale to be disengaged or to mentally ‘check-out’. The students may be learning in different ways, methods and processes but learning! By creating an environment where all students are fittingly challenged a differentiated classroom is not an ‘easy A’ class, it is more engaging. The suggestion that students who have been taught using differentiation are not prepared for an undifferentiated class, for standardized test or even the real world was countered by further explanation of differentiated instruction’s success. In those types of situations no one caters to student learning styles or individual needs. By understanding that differentiated instruction maximizes learning, resulting in higher student mastery of skills and knowledge, then these types of students are actually better prepared for the real world or for any standardized test, because they have gotten the most out of school, they have gained more skills than students in undifferentiated classes. They also have more knowledge regarding how they, as individuals, learn best.
When I first learned of differentiated instruction I agreed with the theory, I liked the individualized approach to teaching and keeping students engaged. I had not considered the points against this theory that were mentioned in this chapter. The idea that a student taught in a differentiated class has learned more because they are kept involved and engaged by being appropriately challenged so they had no excuse for not participating in class work. This chapter reinforced my positive opinion towards differentiated instruction by extinguishing any arguments against it.
Jon Delorme
Chapter 1 – The Differentiated Instruction Mind-Set
Over winter break I read Fair Isn’t Always Equal by Rick Wormeli while traveling from Maine to beautiful Ecuador. So, it will be nice to re-read the book and pick up on things I previously missed and be able to express my thoughts through this blog. Chapter One acts as an introduction to the concept of Differential Instruction, which Rick Wormeli describes as “doing what’s fair for students (3).” It is what teachers do to help their students succeed to the best of their ability. To explain Differential Instruction Wormeli uses the analogy of a child with glasses. All the students do not have glasses, so they are not equal, yet it would not be fair to take away the glasses that a student needs to see with. The glasses are a metaphor for scaffolding and assistance, something that there is a bunch of in a classroom that is differentiated. Apparently there are critics to this mode of thinking, but I take it as doing everything possible to ensure that your students flourish.
Thinking back, there was plenty of differential instruction in my high school. I plan on modeling what I learned as well as developing upon these new ideas. Some of these concepts are common sense to me and that probably stems to how I was taught. Of course I’ll provide my students with graphic organizers if they need one. I know I will rephrase questions for students if they do not understand. Those are little things. I think Wormeli is trying to change the culture of teaching across the country. To us young bloods it seems like common sense but to others it may seem like being soft on students. Either way, the first chapter makes a lot of sense to me.
Kaitlyn Bowie
The focus of this chapter was to make a clear distinction between differentiated design and allowing students to take the easy route in learning and develop a crutch. Differentiated design is meant to assist students in such a way that it helps them to develop the skills they are lacking, such as a planner to help with organization or access to student assistants who can assist them when the teacher is unavailable. The ideal tactics are ones that can be easily made available to any students who wish to utilize them, even if they were not the originally intended targets of the teacher. Ineffectual tactics are ones that purposely make the lessons easier, and show no attempt to strengthen the weak skill of the student. These tactics only placate the student, and later become apparent when the student is not given the same leeway by another teacher and ultimately falls behind in class.I was very divided in this chapter. On one hand, I readily agree that students should be helped, not carried. I had teachers that were willing to work with me in staying organized and helped me develop excellent skills in note taking. However, there in lies the purpose: developing skills. If I see a pattern in the struggles of students, I know I need to do something to help them. Whatever I do needs to not substitute that skill, but help my students to develop their own tactics. On the other hand, I was very disturbed by the idea that taking away what helps a student will make them stronger. Tools like organizers, glasses, and artificial limbs are not things you just decide to take away one day because some might view it as an advantage. These tools are meant to assist and help put the student on and equal level.
Caroline Murphy
I found the debate over whether differentiated instruction could actually be doing students a disservice by making things too easy for them an interesting one. In the face of mounting pressure for traditional academic success and exceptance to top colleges, a lot of emphasis is placed on independence and personal achievement. While these are undoubtably positive elements of education, they can sometimes make learning an isolating experience for students and unintentially do away with some of the collabortive and creative elements of education. Differentiated instruction brings these factors back and shows how teacher involvement and diverse instruction can bring about those desired results while allowing students to become well-rounded learners capable of adapting to varied learning situations. Paying close attention the ways that differentiated instruction affects students both in and outside of the classroom is a skill that I will bring into the classroom with me. Everything teachers do has the ability to have long-term effects on a student, and this is something that it is extremely important to remember. I also learned a lot about how differentiated instruction really is necessary for a successful classroom. Up until now, I think we were sort of given the impression that it was only used from time to time, or pulled out of the teacher tool box during difficult situations. But so much of what teachers do on a daily basis is differentiated by nature, without having to attach a label to it. Effective teaching requires instructors to constantly evolve and adapt their methods, often right in the moment and without time for extensive preparation. These intrinsic skills are a big portion of what differentiated instruction is all about, and that makes the whole thing seem a lot less intimidating.Amy Jones
In Chapter one of Fair isn’t Always equal by Rick Wormelli it explains how Differential Instruction is used in the classroom to assist those who need the extra help and those who need more challenges. The problem with DI is the fact that many students might think that the differences between instruction isn’t fair, but as teachers we need to understand that “what is fair isn’t always equal, and our goal as teachers is to be fair and developmentally appropriate, not one-size-fits-all equal.”(pg 6) We as teachers need to realize that “what we teach is irrelevant. It’s what our students learn after their time with us that matters.” (pg 8) By creating a sense of trust between you and the student, and having them know that you are trying to make their learning process easier for them you will be able to “breathe a little easier because the experiences students’ [have with] learning is a direct result of [your] decisions, and those students are learning at a level otherwise not achievable through non-differentiated practices.”(pg 8) This chapter was very insightful in the many ways that teachers can be differentiated in their instruction but also provide all students will the necessary content. Just by walking around, talking with students through their problems, and even giving extra material when needed are all examples of DI. Personally knowing how easy it will be to DI will make me want to analyze my students and provide them with instruction that is best for them as learners.Alison Hutchins
The first chapter of Fair is Not Always Equally spends a lot of time discussing the logistics of differentiated instruction. It talks about how differentiated instruction can start with something as simple as how you set up the room, and how you can seat students in a way that makes help from fellow students more readily available, and other forms of help more readily accessible. It also talks a lot about the difference between differentiated instruction and allowing gateways for students to be assigned work that is too easy, or that which doesn't present as much as a challenge as the rest of class, therefore leaving these students dissatisfied and uninterested.
I think the difference between these two things are really important today. In a world where standardized testing is forcing teachers to force information quickly onto their students, just giving easier work to those struggling seems much easier than taking the time to help them gain the tactics to actually understand and apply the information. I also would worry that using tactics that were too obvious would make the student in question uncomfortable in my classroom. Regardless of whether the rest of the class understood that things were the way the were because that student needed extra help, the student would most likely be hyper aware enough to believe that their struggles were obvious to the rest of the class. This would definitely inhibit their learning, and their trust in the teacher.
Molly Olsen
While our aim is never to make someone uncomfortable, if teachers from the 60's, 70's or 80's could time travel, we'd hope they'd feel pretty lost when it comes to how we teach today. The book suggests this because the idea of differentiated curriculum has so evolved within the past 20 or so years, that these past teachers would have little idea why or how the end results of todays lessons were achieved. They would probably think it took a significant amount of more work than they were used to putting in for their curriculums, but as it is stated on page 3, "Sometimes, [when using differentiated instruction], we don't spend energy identifying tasks for high-medium-, and/or low-functioning groups so much as we consider whether we've taught in a way the brain best processes."Some people claim that supplying one student with a differentiated curriculum of their own would cause them to become dependent on that one way of learning forever, and if they had a teacher in the future who did not teach that way, that they would fall flat. Others believe that it would make them competant, independent thinkers with a better understanding that all of his or her peers are very different as well, and that they should respect this. The latter is the truth. It has been shown that even when students have been quizzed in a more traditional way, after having learned the material of the quiz in a differentiated setting, they will still do well because they learned in a way which helped them absorb the most. Some say this kind of teaching is allowing a "crutch", but in actuality, it levels the playing field so that everyone is learning the same amount, just differently.